Di Suramadu (Matahari Bersembunyi di Balik Awan)

Laut mengantar perahu dengan hati-hati
Menyamarkan riak dalam kerlap-kerlip sisa cahaya matahari
Biar ikan-ikan tetap berenang dengan tenang

Di atas jembatan, lalu lintas tak pernah mengenal jeda
Kendaraan melaju dengan gelisah
Mengejar dan dikejar waktu yang tak mau tunduk pada perasaan

Satu hari kembali berlalu
Berapa helai daun yang rontok?
Berapa kuntum bunga yang mekar?
Berapa jejak yang terhapus angin?

Sementara matahari bersembunyi di balik awan
Pelitanya masih membara, tapi tak lagi mengganas
Hangat seperti jok mobil yang lama kududuki

Dan aku bertanya-tanya,
masihkah kaki ini sanggup berjalan dan meninggalkanmu?

Box of Emptyness

Someone gave me an empty box,
A truly empty box, and I don’t know what to do with it.

Many days passed as I wondered:
Should I throw it away or keep it?
For someday, I might need it to store my things.

But I didn’t buy anything,
since I found the backyard more interesting than any clothes or books.
So, I went to the backyard and pulled up some grass,
then placed it in the box.
I dug into the earth and put it in the box.
I caught the rain and put it in the box.

I filled it, too, with questions:
If the rain falls for the earth,
why does the sea let the sun take it back?
And if roses bloom for those in love,
why do they grow thorns that hurt?

I wished he’d return and answer my questions,
that we could argue until we laughed at ourselves.
But he never came back,
nor did he look back.

So, I argued with myself,
questioning more and more.
The more I filled that box with anything I found in my backyard,
with questions,
the more space it gave me to put my thoughts.

Decades have passed.
I’m proud I kept that box.
Dear you, who gave me this box,
let me show you—this emptiness was never really empty,
like the full moon that has soaked up sunlight,
glowing bright for thousands of years.

And this is my thanks to you.

Gunung

Aku mengagumi gunung
Yang menjulang agung
Memberi jalan mendaki bagi hutan dan sawah
Untuk menuju langit

Dalam kesendiriannya ia menyimpan bara yang bergejolak
Kadang berasap dan menggetarkan bumi
Apa yang menjadi pergulatannya adalah sebuah misteri

Sampai suatu ketika ia tak lagi mampu meredam amarahnya
Menyemburkan gas sampai bermil-mil jaraknya
Dan cairan merah mengalir tak terbendung

Apa yang bisa aku katakan?
Ia hanyalah bagian dari semesta
Yang tak dapat kutenggelamkan ke dalam laut
Membuatnya menjadi tenang dan mendinginkan lahar yang ia muntahkan

Gunung seperti halnya awan yang mengumpulkan tanda tanya
Dan aku mengaguminya seperti halnya aku mengagumi matahari yang terbit dan terbenam

Keajaiban di Kebun

Nanem-nanem pas musim kemarau gini kayak pekerjaan sia-sia. Biar semua taneman disiram dua kali sehari, tetep aja panas matahari bikin tanah cepet kering. Apa yang bisa diserap akar, coba? Kalopun ada air yang dia serap, sebentar kemudian udah menguap.

Tapi liat banyak taneman yang mati, kebun jadi tambah gersang. Udah mah nggak ada taneman peneduh, daun-daun ijo juga pada gagal tumbuh. Yang bener-bener bertahan cuma melati. Nggak tau dapet nutrisi dari mana, tuh, sampe bisa tumbuh ngelampauin kanopi. Udah gitu banyak dahan yang ngejulur-julur nggak karuan.

Sayangnya, melati ini nggak bisa dijadiin sayur. Paling bunganya bisa dijadiin teh. Jadi, mau tumbuh segondrong apapun dia nggak bisa kami manfaatin buat ketahanan pangan. Continue reading

What If?

What if the rose you care for
hurts you with its thorns?
Will you still care for her,
or will you turn your face
to another flower?

What if the rain you wait for
falls in another place?
Will you still wait,
or will you go inside your room
and paint the sky of grey?

I fell in love with the morning sun.
Creeping up the hill and
softly touching my skin
But he can’t stay warm forever.
The more he shows himself,
the more I get heat and burnt.

What if your paper boat
that floats in the river
is stopped by a big black stone?
Will you let it be damaged
and make another one,
then send it down to another river?

And what if the leaves
you collect every morning
choose to scatter across your yard?
Will you gather them again,
or let them cover your garden?

Whatever you do about them,
and whatever they do to you,
it’s better for you to wake up
in the morning
and take a deep breath.
For breathing is the only way
to release your worry.